Act of Gratitution
by gothicbutterfly95
Summary: After the party at the OzDust Ballroom, Nessa helps Galinda in her quest to make Elphaba popular in a way only a sister can. Sequel to 'Uniformality'.


**This story is a sequel to my story _Uniformality_ (though it can stand on its own), and is dedicated to FaerieTales4ever, who really wanted to see something like this. **  
**Enjoy!**

* * *

My sister was not sitting alone when I arrived in the dining hall the night after the party at the OzDust Ballroom. That in itself was surprising, but the bigger shock was her companion.

She was sitting next to Galinda Upland.

And they were talking.

Not snapping at each other or muttering under their breath, not glaring at each other, not even avoiding each other entirely.

Just talking, the way most people spoke to each other. As if they were…friends.

What in Oz was happening? Had a house fallen out of the sky and knocked me out, resulting in some bizarre dream? It made about as much sense as what I was seeing in front of me.

Galinda had joined Elphaba on the dance floor last night, a simple act that turned her weird and honestly horrendible dance into something trendy. If anyone could make something like that popular with the entire student body of Shiz, it was Galinda.

But even so, I wouldn't have imagined that it would turn their relationship from unadulterated loathing to this. Twenty four hours ago, Galinda Upland wouldn't have been caught dead with 'the artichoke' and now they were friends?

"No, _permit_ ," Elphaba was saying. "Not perm."

It sounded like she was trying to explain to Galinda what Dr. Dillamond had been talking about in our last history lesson. Galinda was definitely not interested because as soon as she saw me, she called out. Probably just to stop Fabala from talking.

"Hey, Nessa," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm well," I replied. "So…" I couldn't believe I was actually asking this question, and really didn't know how to go about it, "…are you two…friends now?"

"Yeah," Galinda squealed. "I'm going to help Elphie become POPULAR!"

The last word was so high-pitched I had to stop myself from covering my ears. Fabala was cringing.

"Elphie?"

"Trust me," she groaned. "I'm not happy about it either."

"I wanted to start with her clothes," Galinda babbled on. "But we aren't the same size. Elphie is so tall."

'True,' I thought. My sister was abnormally tall for a Munckhinlander. Of course, that hardly mattered against her green skin and weird quirks. Galinda conversely, was rather short for someone of Gillikinese background.

"And of course, I have a bit more going on…" Galinda continued. She gestured to her breasts.

"Yeah," Elphaba muttered with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.

She was still wearing the boxy blazer she always wore; Father hadn't bought her more than one outfit when we went uniform shopping. He hadn't even asked her what she wanted. But disregarding that, my sister was definitely not well-endowed.

"Not that anyone will ever see them," she added sourly. "I'm green remember."

* * *

The next day Fabala had her hair out. She hadn't done that in I don't know how long. It made her blazer look even more out of place. She even seemed…not happy, but definitely content with it.

Between that and the fact that she was in Galinda's company all the time, she was getting more attention than usual. Everyone had stared at her for the first week or so, but pretty soon they moved on to ignoring her completely.

But now, the sneers and gossip had returned. The only students who seemed to be an exception were Fiyero and Boq.

The latter hadn't spoken a word to me since we left the OzDust. We passed each other in the halls and it was as if I was invisible. His attention was focused on Galinda once more, ogling her like she was Ozma herself.

'Maybe if I got a makeover he would notice me again,' I thought fleetingly. 'But it probably wouldn't change anything.'

Galinda's project with my sister already had a limit; she could get Elphaba to wear her hair out and change her clothes, but there was one thing she couldn't take away. The green. It was the same with me. I could wear different outfits or do something with my hair, but my chair had to stay if I wanted to do just about anything.

And I was already tragically beautiful.

* * *

A week later Galinda had gotten her roommate to not only wear her hair out every day, but take off her glasses. Fabala didn't really need to wear glasses – at least not all the time – but she did anyway. But Galinda had convinced her to only wear them when she needed to: when she was reading. And while that happened a lot, it was still a big difference from all the time.

But she hadn't had much luck with clothes. Fabala was still wearing the same navy dress she always did; the biggest development was that more and more regularly she'd been taking off the blazer. But now the weather was getting colder and oftentimes she couldn't go without it.

But the lack of the blazer really had made a difference.

And that's when it hit me.

I went over to Crage Hall during the lunch hour. I knew Elphaba would be at the library, like she was every day. Alone. Clearly the whole makeover thing was a one-way street.

"Hi Nessa," Galinda said, when she opened the door. "Elphie's not here."

"That's alright. I'm here to see you actually," I replied.

"Oh," she sounded surprised but still stepped aside and I wheeled into the room. It almost looked like two different rooms. On the side that could only belong to Galinda every available surface was covered with clothes, makeup and jewellery. Rows upon rows of shoes stood in a display case – cupboard was completely the wrong word – and the bed was topped with a big fluffy quilt.

Gillikinese silk, no doubt.

At a glance Elphaba's side of the room looked like it hadn't been decorated at all. The personal touches were so minimal and so commonplace that they could just as easily have been there when she arrived. There was book on her bedside table, her boots in front of her wardrobe and on the desk was a small clock.

Her bedspread was the plain, standard-issue one supplied by the dormitory, and once more I felt sad about how little my sister had been given during her life. I knew the little green bottle was stuffed under her pillow, but it wasn't visible.

"What's up?' Galinda asked as she sat down at the desk she'd converted into a vanity.

"Well, it's about Fabala," I began. "Elphie," I translated at her confusified expression, though it felt awkward to call my sister that.

"Uh huh," mused Galinda.

"You've been trying to give her this popularity makeover thing –"

"Exactly," Galinda interrupted. " _Trying_. She's very resistant."

I couldn't help but smile. Fabala was exactly like that. She always had been. With her virtually non-existent interest in things like clothes and makeup, it was surely a nightmare for Galinda.

"Anyway, you were saying it's hard with the clothes," my mind went back to when Father took us to buy our uniforms. "There's this jacket…"

* * *

Boq was already outside the history classroom when I arrived two days later. He only gave me a monosyllabic response when I greeted him, his eyes fixed on the hallway. But I didn't have time to worry about that before Galinda and Elphaba turned the corner.

My sister had her hair out, her glasses off and was wearing the fitted white jacket she'd wanted all semester. Only the asymmetrical hem of her navy dress was visible.

If it wasn't for her emerald-green skin, she would look normal. Almost…beautiful.

As soon as she reached me, she dropped to her knees and hugged me.

"Galinda told me it was your idea," she choked out.

 _The following afternoon, Galinda and I snuck out to the uniform shop. Fabala was once again holed up in the library researching Oz-knows-what. She was already the top student in all her classes._

 _The lady at the desk smiled when she saw me. I had a feeling it had just as much to do with Galinda Upland being my companion rather than 'the green girl' than it was about my status as the Governor's daughter._

 _She led us to the women's section and, thank the Unnamed God, the white jacket was still there, on the rack right next to where the clothes I was currently wearing had hung._

 _Galinda had to pull it off for me, but as soon as she placed it on my lap, I paused. I knew Father would allow me to buy anything I wanted, but this would be crossing a line. Elphaba had only ever received the most basic necessities or privileges. He'd even named me the future Governor of Munchkinland. While I was incredibly glad about this, it was no secret that that title was meant to go to the eldest child._

 _It was just another example of how Father gave Elphaba nothing._

 _I don't know if it was because it was for Elphaba or if I just wanted to do something on my own, but I didn't want to rely on my father for this. But because I always had, I didn't have any money._

 _As if she already knew my dilemma, Galinda whispered: "I'll buy it."_

"Thank you," Elphaba sobbed, stirring me from my thoughts.

"You're welcome."

With that, Fabala stood up, Galinda placed a pink flower above her ear and we headed into the classroom.


End file.
